The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Today, many portable devices support software applications that display interactive digital maps. Some of these software applications are developed primarily for providing interactive digital maps. Other software applications, such as web browsers, may display interactive digital maps along with other content. In either case, these applications generally provide multiple functions for interacting with the digital map, such as changing the zoom level, repositioning the viewport, etc. Moreover, these applications often provide additional information related to the map, such as a listing of businesses located in the area visible in the viewport.
Because screen real estate on a typical portable device is more limited than on a more traditional computer, for example, it is difficult to provide controls and information supplementing a digital map in an efficient and intuitive manner.